Background:

UN Women West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO), in collaboration with the Muskoka Fund, is convening a Religious Leaders Symposium in October 2025 as part of its broader efforts to advance gender equality and women's rights. This consultancy is aligned with the Beijing+30 Action Agenda and UN Women’s Push Forward Strategy, which respond to growing global pushback on women’s and girls’ rights, including in sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence.

The Beijing+30 Action Agenda outlines six priority actions to accelerate gender equality: 1) ending violence against women and girls, 2) advancing SRHR and bodily autonomy, 3) bridging the digital gender divide, 4) promoting women’s leadership in decision-making, 5) ensuring climate justice, and 6) securing peace and inclusive societies.

The Push Forward Strategy calls for: 1) inclusive, intergenerational and intersectional dialogue, 2) community-led advocacy and solidarity networks, 3) strategic engagement with non-traditional actors including faith-based and cultural institutions, and 4) amplifying good practices to counter pushback.

Religious and traditional leaders are uniquely positioned to influence social norms and community practices. Their engagement is critical to reframing gender equality as a shared ethical and theological imperative, promoting SRHR and protection from GBV through faith-based advocacy, countering harmful narratives, and supporting community-led commitments to gender justice. This consultancy will support the development of theological and advocacy tools, facilitate strategic convenings, and design impactful sessions for the GBV Summit in February 2026, ensuring religious leaders are equipped to lead transformative change.

The consultant will report to the Sexual and Reproductive Health & Rights Manager under the overall supervision of the Regional Programme Coordinator.

Description of Responsibilities/ Scope of Work

• Compile and synthesize key principles, lessons, and theological documents on SRHR and GBV advocacy for religious leaders.
• Facilitate and moderate the Religious Leaders Symposium (20–21 October 2025), guiding discussions and producing actionable recommendations.
• Design strategic sessions for the GBV Summit in February 2026, tailored to religious and traditional leaders.
• Review and compile theological and advocacy materials relevant to SRHR and GBV.
• Develop a reference guide or 'reader' for religious leaders.
• Facilitate the 2-day Religious Leaders Symposium in Dakar, Senegal.
• Draft key recommendations for AU CIEFFA and GBV Summit.
• Accompany Religious leaders after the religious leaders 
• Design interactive and impactful sessions for the GBV Summit, focusing on religious and traditional leadership.
• Develop a regional project concept note and project proposal for engagement of religious and traditional leaders in West and Central Africa with specific focus on Mali, Nigeria and Niger.

Consultant’s Workplace and Official Travel

This is a home-based consultancy with some official travel required particularly for key events including the religious leaders’ symposium and the GBV Summit.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Strategic campaign planning and facilitation
• Knowledge of gender-based violence and digital rights
• Experience with feminist movement-building and advocacy
• Strong analytical and synthesis skills
• Ability to engage diverse stakeholders in virtual settings

Required Qualifications : 

Education and Certification:

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Gender Studies, Communications, Political Science, or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of experience in campaign strategy, advocacy, or communications in gender equality or human rights.
• Proven experience, facilitating participatory workshops and ideation sessions with international development partners, experience with the private sector is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with digital violence and feminist digital advocacy.
• Excellent writing and synthesis skills; samples of previous work may be requested.

Languages:

Fluency in English is required.

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.